Thailand shooting — LIVE: 38 confirmed dead
- At least 38 people confirmed dead after an attack at a child daycare centre
- More than 20 children are among the dead, the victims as young as two years old
- A man armed with a gun and knife stormed into the daycare centre in Nong Bua Lamphu province
- Gunman killed himself after the shooting and has been identified as former police officer Panya Khamrab
- He had been fired from the police force over drug offences in June
- Thailand’s PM ordered probe into the attack
- Mass shootings are rare in Thailand, but gun ownership is high in the region
Thailand shooting: What we know so far?
A gunman stormed into a childcare facility in Nong Bua Lamphu province and attacked those inside – killing at least 38 people, many of whom were children.
The gunman used a gun and a knife in the attack and opened fire on and crashed his vehicle into a crowd of bystanders before he returned home and killed his wife and child.
The gunman, a former police officer, had been dismissed from the force in June over drug offence. He has been named by Thai police as former cop Panya Khamrab.
The gunman’s child was a regular pupil at the daycare centre, according to a teacher who was at the scene of the attack and spoke to local Thai TV.
She said that he used to drop his son off at the nursery and he seemed polite when interacting with staff.
She said before the attack she heard a loud firework-like bang and saw colleagues on the floor signalling to her to take cover. She saw the gunman walking towards her and was able to hide inside a classroom and lock the door.
He killed himself with a gun following his rampage.
World leaders react to mass killing in Thailand
The Thailand PM Prayuth Chan-Ocha has offered his condolences to the victim’s families and has ordered an immediate investigation into the attack.
The UK prime minister Liz Truss said she was “shocked” to hear of the “horrific events”, whilst the Australian leader Anthony Albanese said it is “impossible to comprehend the heartbreak” adding “all Australians send their love and condolences”.
